Spring Open Day Success & Summer News
- gardengateproject
- Jun 2
- 2 min read
Our Spring Open Day on Saturday, 17th May was a tremendous success! Thanks to the glorious sunshine—and to all of you who came along—we raised a record-breaking amount of money. It was, as ever, wonderful to see so many people enjoying the garden at its springtime best.
A heartfelt thank you to the Ramsgate Freemasons for their generous donation to support the garden. We also want to extend our thanks to Carol of Art by Karen S, based at the Olde Water Mill Shopping Village in Barton le Clay, Bedford. Our Art Cabin is thrilled to have received her beautiful donation of wooden mobile kits, which our team have been enthusiastically assembling and decorating with paint pens—perfect for bringing colour and creativity to our community spaces.
Looking ahead, we’d love your support for our 5km Sponsored Walk on Wednesday, 25th June, in memory of our Chair of Trustees, Paul Burton, who sadly passed away in February. We'll be walking from the garden along the cliff top to the Botany Bay Hotel for a well-earned cup of tea before heading back—all to raise funds for the Brain Tumour Charity. Friends and family of the Garden Gate are warmly invited to join us.
To donate, please visit our JustGiving page:
In the Garden
Over in the workshop, Brian and Ollie have been hard at work crafting stunning wooden planter troughs using split sweet chestnut logs—sustainably sourced and beautifully finished. If you're thinking of building your own, remember: untreated hardwoods like sweet chestnut and oak are naturally weather-resistant and ideal for long-lasting planters.
In the beds, it's officially pea season! We're relishing the taste of sugar snap peas straight from the bush—nothing beats that crisp, sweet crunch. Our mange tout are ready for harvest too—try picking them early in the morning when they're at their juiciest. And over in the flower beds, our fragrant sweet peas are budding and just starting to bloom—don’t forget to keep picking them to encourage more flowers throughout the season!
Elsewhere, roses are in full, vivid bloom, and our ever-growing collection of aeoniums are truly thriving. These drought-tolerant succulents love a sunny spot—just be sure to protect them from excessive rain by raising pots off the ground or tucking them under shelter if needed.
In the polytunnel, green tomatoes are beginning to form—now’s a good time to pinch out the side shoots on cordon varieties to encourage stronger fruit production. Meanwhile, our first strawberries are ripening—a quick tip: place straw or mats under the fruit to keep them clean and reduce slug damage.
Save the Date: Garden Gate Music Day – Saturday 19th July
We hope you’ll join us for our much-loved Garden Gate Music Day, taking place on Saturday 19th July from 14:00 to 21:00. Expect a joyful day of music, community, food, and garden magic. Tickets are still available via Eventbrite—just follow this link:
We look forward to seeing you in the garden again soon. Until then, enjoy the early summer sunshine, harvest often, water wisely, and happy gardening!
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